Colors by Mood in Seattle - The Magic of Color
The effect of color on mood is not lost on residents of Seattle. In Seattle, it is cloudy an average of 201 days per year and partly cloudy an additional 93 days. That means it is sunny in Seattle less than twenty percent of the time. The blues, greens, and grays that dominate Seattle’s environment are beautiful and calming, but at times they can depress the mood, especially during the winter. In interior design, paint and fabric colors can measurable affect mood. Different people prefer different colors, but research shows most people react similarly to tones and hues in certain color families.
When classifying colors by mood, they can be divided into warm and cool. Warm colors activate and energize, while cool colors relax and calm. Warm colors include shades of red, orange, and yellow. Cool colors include blue, green, and violet. Researchers have found that, for most people, shades of green are the most relaxing on the color spectrum, perhaps because green is so prevalent in nature. The best colors for your interior design project will depend upon personal preference and the mood you wish to create.
Seattle residents are surrounded by cool calm colors. Blues and greens can be made cooler to imitate Seattle’s natural environment by adding a bit of gray or warmed up with touches of red or yellow. To harmonize their home’s interior with its exterior, homeowners should choose pastel greens, marine blues, and bluish-grays. These colors, used properly, can create an indoor oasis of calm especially appropriate for bedrooms, bathrooms, and meditation rooms. However, homeowners should consider adding warm notes to such a color scheme. Warmer tones of blue and green will offer respite from the rainy Seattle climate. When used on trim and accents, violet hues, including lavender and eggplant, can rescue a space from becoming overly cool. Although violet is a cool color, it contains hints of red which add subtle warmth.
Those who prefer an interior that contrasts with Seattle’s unrelentingly gray weather can opt for a warmer color palette. Reds and yellows add energy and enthusiasm to interior space. A red dining room stimulates appetite and conversation, while a yellow kitchen adds cheer to routine daily chores. Orange is notoriously difficult to work with. However, pale and subdued shades such as peach, terracotta, spice, and copper add warmth while avoiding the strident effect of undiluted orange. Those opting for warm color schemes to enhance mood should steer away from overpowering, excessively bright colors. Choose wine over fire-engine red, and muted gold over sunshine yellow.
Kathy Banak, Founder of Authentic Home, used elements of nature, fashion magazines and her own closet to create the rich and unique paint colors. Grouped by "mood" palettes" — including Elegant, Serene, Playful, Fresh and Regal — Authentic Home's premium interior designer paints and home decor fabrics can be mixed and matched within each group to create a cohesive look. Simply pick the mood palette that best speaks to you and you are on your way in creating your own Authentic Home.